dingo?
by wren10514
Summary: Oz after he's left sunnydale for good start of s7. He's back touring with the dingos but there's something he's been keeping from them


Spoliers: set start of season 7 roughly so Oz-like spoilers up till then (thought there's not much).

Warnings: some blood and ripping of throats

Disclaimer: I merely like to play with the dingos, I don't own them.

Devon eyed his date. He loved being in a band. All the babes wanted to say they'd done the lead singer and he was only too happy to oblige as many as he could. This one was a knockout. He'd seen her eyeing him on stage – well all the girls eyed him on stage, but he'd known this was one who'd do something about it. He'd been right too: the second he stepped down off the stage she'd been next to him, asking if he wanted a drink, her eyes promising more if he wanted to take it and there was no denying he did. She was hot, pure and simple: thin, but not too skinny, perfectly formed boobs and an ass he could stare at all day. She knew how she looked too and showed herself off in little shorts and a slinky top that clung to her in ways that would make lesser men come in their pants.

Luckily Devon was not a lesser man though even he was ready to leave this bar for somewhere a little more intimate. Shandy only seemed too eager and started to lead the way out the stage door, glancing back seductively over her shoulder at him, though she knew he wasn't going anywhere without her…

He was leaning passed her, pushing the rickety fire escape door open for her when he felt someone pull him back.

"Oz? What the fuck man, can't you see I'm busy?"

His ruddy-haired guitarist had hold of his arm and held him back as Shandy sauntered out into the alley behind the bar, her eyes offering everything he wanted.

Oz's voice was low and serious, his eyes fixed on Devon's soon-to-be latest lay as he spoke.

"Don't dude. Trust me."

"What are you talking about?!" Devon said, tired already of whatever Oz was playing at and shaking off his grip. "Go back inside and find your own piece of ass, dude."

Shandy smiled widely, at Devon as he approached, though he couldn't help notice the cutting glance she threw in Oz's direction.

"Poor little puppy," she said snidely over Devon's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he felt her nipples, taut in the cold night air, brush his chest.

But before he could do anything about the growing heat building in him hands were pulling them apart. Devon hadn't even realised there was anyone else there, but was ready to fight anyone who thought they were strong enough to take his girl by force. He might have looked like a lanky emo boy, and perhaps he had been in high school, but a few years touring all over the country, gigging in some of the shittiest dives in the worst areas of the country had taught him a thing or two, and he knew how to defend himself. Still, he stopped short as he realised it was Oz that was getting in the way again. He wouldn't have thought the little guy would have been strong enough to just knock him aside like that, but there he was, glaring at the girl who could have been his perfect woman (well, for twenty minutes or so anyway).

"Dude?! What is wrong with you?!"

Oz didn't turn to look at him as he spoke. "She a vampire."

Shandy giggled like a truck running over broken glass. "Vampire? You've got to be joking right? There's no such thing as vampires! You must be desperate to try that. What? Want your buddy all to yourself?"

Devon refused to think about it that last part, replying to the rest of what she had said instead.

"Oh there are totally vampires. We're from Sunnydale – there's this big hell thing there that all kinds of demons and shit come out of. But Oz," he turned to his friend, "what makes you think she's a vamp?"

There was a pause and just for a moment Devon thought Oz really had made the whole thing up just so he wouldn't go off with the girl, but then she smiled cruelly and he knew there was else something that made his friend pause.

Her laugh was cracked and harsh when it came. "He doesn't know does he little puppy? And you don't want him to eh? Poor little puppy…" She feigned a pout but couldn't keep it up and rattled off her laugh again.

Devon was just getting confused now. "What don't I know? What are you talking about?"

Oz looked madder than Devon had ever seen him: it was actually a little scary to see the guy so worked up. He'd always been Mr Calm up until two years before. He'd taken some time out from the band, said he went travelling and came back…different. He was still the same Oz, but now he laughed easier, would joke and get angry almost like a normal guy. And then sometimes, there would be something darker underneath, something a little scary, though Devon would never admit that to anyone. Every now and then Oz would disappear for a night or two, or three, but the band just figured he needed some space – after all who wouldn't after hours on end trapped in a van – but seeing him now it suddenly occurred to Devon to wonder just what Oz did on those nights out alone.

Shandy smiled, crossing her arms under her breasts. "The reason your boy knew I'm vampire – and he's right I am – is because he could smell it." Devon face must have looked as blank as he felt, making Shandy sigh theatrically. "You are clueless. No wonder you don't know. Pretty boys are just too easy to tag along, don't you find?"

This last she threw at Oz and if Devon hadn't known him better he could have sworn he growled just a tiny bit.

"Oz, what's she saying?"

Oz didn't even acknowledge he had spoken, leaving Shandy to reply.

"Ok I'll spell it out for you. The man, right here, is a werewolf. However, since there's no full moon tonight that means almost nothing – you might as well be human. And since you interrupted my meal and disturbed my lovely evening I think you get to go first."

Her face changed. Devon knew that kind of face, had had it ingrained into him even after only coming face to face with vampires a couple of times. He knew to run, and his feet skidded backwards, but he couldn't go, couldn't just abandon his friend…

Then something happened – suddenly it wasn't just Shandy changing her face. Oz changed, hair and teeth all growing till he looked like some crappy B-movie monster make-up guy had got hold of him. He pounced on Shandy and she was surprised enough that she didn't even try and move out of the way. He tore at her throat with his nails and teeth. She screamed like a wounded animal, scratching frantically at him with her nails, leaving livid red marks on his bare arms. It was only a matter of moments before he had chewed through her neck, her final choked gasp subsumed in the puff of her body turning to ash.

"Shit dude…"

Oz turned at Devon's horrified words, leaping forward to pin him against the alley wall, the vampire's blood still coating his mouth and running down his chin as Devon watched more hair begin to sprout down his increasingly wolf-shaped nose.

"Oz? Buddy?"

A light of recognition flickered in his friend's eyes and the hair quickly began to recede as Oz turned way, face to the alley wall as he leaned against it, the bones that had shifted settling back into place with tiny popping sounds.

Devon waited a long time, listening to Oz pant and wondering what to do, but finally his friend spoke to him under his arm, chin still dripping vampire blood into the garbage.

"Did I hurt you? Bite? Scratch?"

"No…"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stayed with the band like this. I'll go."

"No wait!"

Devon grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. "You saved my life, that's a good thing in case you didn't know."

Oz glared at him over his shoulder. "I could have killed you! One bite and I would have turned you into a 'wolf as well."

"Yeah, well you didn't. Better luck next time." Oz made to leave again, and Devon followed after him. "Look dude, you've been with us for years and you've never hurt any of us, why would you start now? I'm not gonna hold a grudge for something you didn't do. I get that you're a good werewolf…huh, never thought I'd say that to anyone."

"There's no such thing as a good werewolf," Oz retorted as they reached the band's van, the other members staring at them as they approached.

"Hey are you guys ok? You've got blood…all over…"

"I'm fine." Oz said brusquely as he started gathering up his things.

"Well, call it whatever you want, I know you're not a bad werewolf or you would have killed me just now."

"Oz's a werewolf?"

"Cool – I loved that film 'American Werewolf in Paris'"

"Wasn't that the crap one? 'American Werewolf in London' was the cool one with all the good effects and junk. Or was it? It was the first one that was the good one anyway, I can't remember whether it was Paris or London."

"Will you guys shut up! Oz you don't have to go!"

"Oz is going?"

"That sucks dude. Where are we gonna find another guitarist?"

"What did I just say? Shut the hell up a second!" Oz climbed down from the van with his few meagre possessions and Devon stood in his way. "Where are you gonna go if you're not with us?"

Oz shrugged, trying for a smile. "There's a big bad coming. I've been feeling it for a while and trying to ignore it, but maybe it's time I go back to Sunnyhell, see if I can help?" He paused, wiping his mouth on his wrist. "Maybe I'll come find you guys once it's over…"

Devon sighed in resignation. "You better hurry back. We suck ass without you man."

Oz grinned. "I know."

He stepped passed Devon and headed off into the night.


End file.
